Buffy the Vampire Slayer: 27 Hours
by ItalianBellaGirl
Summary: Summary: Set in season 3 after Xander and Willow realized they had feelings for one another. A deep, dark demonic force is set to open up in 27 hrs and Buffy and the gang have to figure out what it is and stop it before it’s too late.
1. Chapter 1

Buffy the Vampire Story:

Summary: Set in season 3 after Xander and Willow realized they had feelings for one another.

A deep, dark demonic force is set to open up in 27 hrs and Buffy and the gang have to figure out what it is and stop it before it's too late.

Chapter 1:

"You've got to be careful," Buffy's mother always worried about her slayer daughter rushed over to where her daughter was lying on the couch with an ice pack on her head.

"I am," She sighed. " Usually. I just didn't see the vamp. It looked like it came out of nowhere. I need to talk to Giles."

"No, you're not going anywhere."

"Mom, I'll be back, I promise." At the library, she found Giles hidden away in his study too busy to notice anything.

"Giles," Buffy's presence obviously surprised him, because he jumped out of his chair so fast Buffy couldn't help but laugh.

"Buffy, it would be wise to enlighten someone when entering a room ."

" Your words always had such expressiveness in them; you couldn't have just said, " Buffy, you scared me. Tell me when you walk into the room." Giles, you make me laugh, you know that?" Buffy told him as they headed towards the middle of the library.

"What's this about, Buffy?"

"I was attacked tonight. The vamp came out of nowhere, literally. I was watching the grounds and there was no activity at all. Then, this vamp just wails me into a stone and the funny thing is he said something before I killed him. He said, "Watch out, 27 hrs and counting. I don't understand. What's in 27 hrs?"

"I haven't the slightest idea. I'll start looking it up."

'I'll call Willow and Xander to help." Buffy said grabbing the phone.

The phone rang splitting the two apart.

"I…I…" Willow stuttered, then quickly grabbed the phone just standing at him before her. "Buffy, what's wrong?"

"Willow, Giles and I need help at the library. Can you come by and help us out?"

"Yea, what's happening?"

"I'll tell you when you get here. But hurry, we only have a short period of time. Oh, and try to reach Xander for me; he's not answering his phone."

"Ok, bye." Willow shut the phone off and glanced up at Xander.

"We have to go. Something's going on and they need our help. Not a word of this, okay? "

"Like I'm gonna say something?" Xander huffed at they walked to the library. "Okay, I won't say anything. Did Buffy say what's going on?"

"Nope, but she said to hurry because we only have a limited amount of time."

"Well then, let's go, I'll race ya."


	2. Chapter 2

"Thanks. Ok, Bye." Giles hung up the phone. "Nothing. He knows of nothing."  
"I don't see how we can continue on just this. All we have to go on is what a vampire said. They aren't exactly known for their honesty, you know? Couldn't it be a saying or something?" Xander asked.  
"Xander…" Willow cautioned.  
"Xander's right," Giles interrupted. You all should go home and get some rest before school starts in the morning."  
"I think I'll take you up on that offer; I'm exhausted." Willow said.  
" I think I'll go home, too." Xander chimed in.  
"Mom's gonna start getting worried if I don't head home, too. Thanks, Giles. We'll see you in the morning." The three headed out the library door.  
"Listen guys, I'll see you tomorrow." Buffy say goodbye and parted ways with Xander and Willow. The two walked side by side, not saying anything for a few minutes.  
"So…" Xander started.  
"So, um…." Willow was at a loss for words, as well. Slowly, Xander slipped his hand ever so slightly into her hand and grasped on tight. The two looked down and smiled at one another. The two said goodnight and parted their ways.

The next morning, everyone met in the library hoping Giles had found something, which he hadn't.  
"Ok, so what exactly are we supposed to do? I have no way of knowing what's happening or if I'm fighting something or if the world is coming to an end or something like that because there's no information. What am I supposed to do?" Buffy exasperated.  
"Ok, first off, calm down. I'm getting somewhere. I have an idea or a theory, but I can't say anything for sure. Go to class and I'll meet you in here afterwards." Giles told them. As soon as they had left, Giles turned back to the demon book he was reading. The Morning Of the-- was what the page he was trying to read said , but somehow the page was burned and almost half was unreadable.

" For the demon that arises into……hell on earth shall be…..one must never…….red circle……starless……no man shall fight against……." For that was all the was readable and for that Giles had no clue what they were up against. He heard the group re-entering the library as they chattered away, Cordelia talking about some new dress that her dad was going to get her and Xander talking to Buffy about Faith.  
"No, I convinced her it was good to take a vacation in Hawaii, so she finally took it upon herself to go. After the whole break-up thing with Andrew, she said she needed some time off."  
"Ok, The vampire said 27 hours and that was 8 hours and 17 minutes ago, right?" Cordelia asked.  
"Right." Xander agreed.  
"So, that means we have 18 hours and 43 minutes left until whatever this is, is going to attack the earth, am I right?"  
"Yep, and we have no idea in hell what is going to come."  
"Buffy," Everyone glanced up at Giles. "I think it's time to ask Angel for some help. Why don't you go and ask him if he knows anything. I'm not finding much at all."  
"Ok, no problem."  
"Ok, I'll go with you." Willow volunteered. "And why doesn't Xander and Cordelia look up in the computer demonic activities of today's date. It might be a stretch, but just see if you can find anything."  
"Ok, let's go, Wil."

Angel had been staring into the dark and gloomy night all evening long last night. He knew he should go into bed before the sun rose, but his eyes couldn't be torn away from the shadowy sky. Its stars were slowly fading away as if in only moments to come they would disappear completely and a dark red circle had slowly begun forming. The signs, to him, were unclear; he had only heard of such mystic power. The night began to freeze in time. When sunrise began to fall, he slowly went inside, still mystified by the signs that were here and the ones that would be forthcoming. He drifted off to sleep with his mind wandering and didn't arise until he heard the knock of his door.  
" Angel, it's me and Willow." He let them in and turned to face her and Willow as they came in , "Hey,"  
"Listen, we wanted to ask you some questions. I got attacked tonight…" He cut her off and raced to her side. " Are you ok?" Willow watched as he touched her face and showed affection towards her even though he knew he shouldn't.  
"I'm fine. But before I killed the vampire he said something. He said, "Watch out, 27 hrs and counting." Do you know what that means?" Pain and hurt entered Angel's eyes as he sat down on the couch. Willow and Buffy sat down watching him, waiting for him to say something. Buffy soon realized why Angel's face turned grim and harsh; his past had something to do with this.  
"Angel, what's going on? Do you know?" Buffy asked.  
"I've only heard legend and tales. But I'll explain." Angel's glance focused on the floor.  
"Okay,"  
"Let me start at the beginning…."

"Hey, Xander," Cordelia said.  
"Yea,"  
"How are you?"  
"What? I'm fine. Why?"  
"I mean, I didn't want it to be weird between us or anything. I didn't mean to hurt you, I swear." Cordelia looked at him with sorrowful eyes.  
"Yea, listen, I'm fine. Never been better. You had your reasons for breaking up with me, I get it, okay." Xander tried to look only at his book.  
"Okay, but I just…"  
"Can we just keep working?" The two silently continued reading through the numerous amount of books.  
"Listen, the Bronze is actually having a opening in the day and we could go if you wanted." Cordelia said.  
"Sure, I'll ask Buffy and Willow when they get back."


	3. Chapter 3

" Angel, I…" Buffy started.

"I'll, um, be waiting outside." Willow silently left the two alone. The two just stood standing by the door gazing at one another.

"So…"

"Angel, I'm sorry. I really am. I didn't know that it…"

"It's fine really." Angel looked deep into her eyes. He had so badly wanted to kiss her, but he knew it wasn't the right thing to do.

"So, I guess I should go and tell Giles."

"Yea," Angel clearly he throat which in the quiet room seemed to be the loudest noise they had either heard. "Listen, be careful, okay?"

" Yea, I will." As badly as she knew she should turn and leave, she couldn't seem to pry herself from his eyes. It was as if she was having déjà vu because the last time this happened, it was the beginning of their relationship, their second kiss. Except Buffy knew he wouldn't kiss her right then, as least that was what she thought. She quietly whispered goodbye and turned around. With her one hand on the doorknob, he grabbed the other spinning her around swiftly. He smashed their lips together hard and forcefully. It took her all of a half a second to respond. She grabbed him and the need for one another kept growing. Buffy parted his lips as a need for oxygen and she realized when she did that Willow was just outside the door, waiting for her.

"I really have to go." She smiled up at him.

"Yea, be careful."

--

"Giles, we have a problem!" Cordelia yelled. Both Xander and Giles ran through the library to see what was happening.

"What's wrong?"

"This!" She pointed to vampire standing before her.

"How the hell is he here! It's daytime!" Xander screamed.

"I haven't the slightest idea, but I'm sure we're gonna find out." Giles said as he tried to fight the vampire. Giles threw a punch which seemed to have no effect on the vamp whatsoever. However, the vampire was one step ahead of him, he threw Giles back into the desk. Giles fell back hitting his head and than fell face forward.

"Giles!" Cordelia ran to his side. Xander gladly wanted to be the man who saved everyone, but with little force at all, the vampire knocked him off his feet. The vampire than turned to Cordelia, "No!" At that moment , a kick and punch threw the demon back and in walked a pissed off Buffy with a scared-looking Willow.

"That was for my friends!" Buffy kicked her heal into the vamp's side. "So, Habreith, nice. You guys are good." The vampire's face drained a little. "Yeah, I know what's happening , you big ass." The vampire suddenly punched her and grabbed her arms. She wailed her head into his large and demented one knocking him over.

"Go to hell!" Buffy yelled as she ran a stake right threw his heart. The vamp turned to dust and the 5 of them stood in the room silently until Cordelia spoke, "I don't understand. Why can he be in sunlight and be a vampire?"

"I have no idea. Giles?" Buffy looked over to him. Giles was standing there with a quizzing puzzling look plastered on his face. "Giles?"

"Hmmm, I don't know. Buffy, you said Habreith, correct." Buffy nodded.

"Meaning Angel knew something." Xander said. " Why am I not surprised."


End file.
